TumblingTurquoise's recent activity
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
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Comment on Development of the Paradox Interactive-owned IP Cities: Skylines will shift from Colossal Order to Iceflake Studios in ~games
TumblingTurquoise (edited )Link ParentThat doesn’t inspiring. I keep checking in on this topic whenever CS2 makes the news, but at this point I feel like I should give up hope on getting my dream city builder! I should probably...That doesn’t inspiring. I keep checking in on this topic whenever CS2 makes the news, but at this point I feel like I should give up hope on getting my dream city builder! I should probably revisit CS1 and be done with it.
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Comment on Development of the Paradox Interactive-owned IP Cities: Skylines will shift from Colossal Order to Iceflake Studios in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentWhat stopped me from continuing to play it, besides the performance issues, was the simulation itself & how fake it was in practice. The most glaring example I still remember, goods imported &...What stopped me from continuing to play it, besides the performance issues, was the simulation itself & how fake it was in practice. The most glaring example I still remember, goods imported & exported had no correlation with anything. I recall being bothered by other areas, but I can’t remember them.
My question is: have they done anything since then to improve the city’s simulations?
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Comment on Do you watch TV in the morning? If so, what do you watch? I'm looking for recommendations. in ~tv
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentIf the suggestion was aimed at me, thanks. I’ve been thinking about replacing the BBC podcast, because these past two days I’ve heard coverage of the Trump speech BBC fiasco from both of these...If the suggestion was aimed at me, thanks. I’ve been thinking about replacing the BBC podcast, because these past two days I’ve heard coverage of the Trump speech BBC fiasco from both of these sources (BBC and The Economist). I was surprised to get more information, including an excerpt from Trump’s edited speech, from The Economist & not BBC.
It struck me as if BBC is covering its ass instead of informing their listeners properly. So I’d try to branch out.
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Comment on Do you watch TV in the morning? If so, what do you watch? I'm looking for recommendations. in ~tv
TumblingTurquoise LinkIf podcasts are an option, then my two recommendations are: the BBC Global News Podcast, which I listen to in the morning, and The Intelligence from The Economist for the evening. The latter...If podcasts are an option, then my two recommendations are: the BBC Global News Podcast, which I listen to in the morning, and The Intelligence from The Economist for the evening. The latter always covers a variety of news and interesting events (so not just financial news), and the discussions & interviews are captivating more often than not.
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Comment on Need pixel art software recommendations (it can be free or paid) in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentThe git repo already provides instructions for how to build Aseprite on both Windows & Linux. It’s as easy as installing some prerequisites & copy/pasteing a command.The git repo already provides instructions for how to build Aseprite on both Windows & Linux. It’s as easy as installing some prerequisites & copy/pasteing a command.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentI’m not sure you’re interested in this tip or not, but the way I learned to parry was to listen to the “swoosh” sound that most attacks play. Whenever I hear the sound, I parry and it works. So...I’m not sure you’re interested in this tip or not, but the way I learned to parry was to listen to the “swoosh” sound that most attacks play. Whenever I hear the sound, I parry and it works. So not looking at the attack or animation itself - that actually seems detrimental. I am still in Act 1, but on normal difficulty the combat seems trivial so far. There is the occasional strong mob that I lose to a couple of times, but since there is no penalty in repeating the fights, I eventually learn their attack patterns & parry all of them.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentCompared to the older games, Shadows has great stealth mechanics (on the highest difficulty). Possibly the best mechanics in the series. But there is no social stealth gameplay. Compared to AC3...Compared to the older games, Shadows has great stealth mechanics (on the highest difficulty). Possibly the best mechanics in the series. But there is no social stealth gameplay.
Compared to AC3 specifically, it has a ridiculously small number of animations for everything - parkour and combat finishers. Expect to see very repetitive animations, all of the time.
It is also an extremely bloated checklist game, with a bunch of faff to see & collect all over the map. Another difference is how the gameplay is “RPG-ized”, as in: if you don’t have a high enough item level, you can’t damage any enemies. I think at least on the stealth side of things the game is manageable, since they implemented an instant assassination in the settings. But if you’re looking forward to the combat, then good luck on your grind for items.
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Comment on OpenAI says hundreds of thousands of ChatGPT users may show signs of manic or psychotic crisis every week in ~health.mental
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentThe cynic in me thinks that the situation is way worse than we think, and that these type of announcements are simply them getting ahead of it & having the chance of controlling the narrative.The cynic in me thinks that the situation is way worse than we think, and that these type of announcements are simply them getting ahead of it & having the chance of controlling the narrative.
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Comment on Microsoft's ambitious new Xbox: Your entire Xbox console library, the full power of Windows PC gaming, and no multiplayer paywall in ~games
TumblingTurquoise LinkNoise: the day I have Windows on my gaming console is the day I stop gaming.Noise: the day I have Windows on my gaming console is the day I stop gaming.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
TumblingTurquoise LinkI just submitted my entry for my first game jam. I’m quite exhausted and getting a headache. It was a solo endeavour, and I’ve been working alone on this for about 35 hours since Friday morning,...I just submitted my entry for my first game jam. I’m quite exhausted and getting a headache. It was a solo endeavour, and I’ve been working alone on this for about 35 hours since Friday morning, day job not included.
The biggest thing I got out of it is how much clarity a well defined scope can give me; that, and also not being afraid of cutting things down in order to deliver by a deadline. I barely managed to get by, even after I drastically reduced the scope several times!
But I’m glad I did it, because it allowed me time to polish it and improve the presentation.
All in all, it was a great experience for learning more about Godot. The last thing I need to do is to catch my breath, rest a bit, and do a recap of all the lessons I learned, and where to go next from here. I’ve also kept a lite journal / devlog while working on, which will definitely come in useful.
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Comment on Iceland to propose higher tourist tax following record-breaking number of visitors – 1.7 million international tourists in the first seven months of 2025 in ~travel
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentIf you’re feeling guilty about overcrowding, consider going during the winter. It is still an extremely beautiful and interesting place, and it isn’t really packed with tourists. At least not on...If you’re feeling guilty about overcrowding, consider going during the winter. It is still an extremely beautiful and interesting place, and it isn’t really packed with tourists. At least not on the scale of what you see during summer.
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Comment on Who tried beetroot? in ~food
TumblingTurquoise LinkMy favourite beetroot salad: bake them with their skins on, peel them, cut them into cubes. Mix them with salty cheese (ex. Feta), some walnuts and a dash of vinegar. The result is a nice...My favourite beetroot salad: bake them with their skins on, peel them, cut them into cubes. Mix them with salty cheese (ex. Feta), some walnuts and a dash of vinegar. The result is a nice combination of textures & tastes.
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Comment on Investment club? in ~finance
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentSame for me. I’m more interested in the process, discussion & opportunity for learning, rather than the individual trades the group eventually settles on.Same for me. I’m more interested in the process, discussion & opportunity for learning, rather than the individual trades the group eventually settles on.
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Comment on Alien: Earth | Official trailer in ~tv
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentA good example is actually the first season of Legion, written & directed by the same person. While it’s not a full on monster horror story, it gets really close.A good example is actually the first season of Legion, written & directed by the same person. While it’s not a full on monster horror story, it gets really close.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentKrita has a plugin called G’MIC Qt, you can find it under the Filters menu. That’s an interesting place to look at. Otherwise, it contains most of the longstanding tools you would normally find in...Krita has a plugin called G’MIC Qt, you can find it under the Filters menu. That’s an interesting place to look at. Otherwise, it contains most of the longstanding tools you would normally find in Photoshop (perhaps with different names) and also others that are exclusive to Krita.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentI really like the collage! Why would you use Gnu IMP instead of Krita? Krita & Photoshop served me well for any visual work, so I never felt the need to try it out as an alternative.I really like the collage! Why would you use Gnu IMP instead of Krita? Krita & Photoshop served me well for any visual work, so I never felt the need to try it out as an alternative.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentWhat software do you use for your visual work? I recently moved to Linux and carried over the only two pieces of software that are compatible - Krita and OpenToonz/Tahoma2D. I’m curious to see...What software do you use for your visual work? I recently moved to Linux and carried over the only two pieces of software that are compatible - Krita and OpenToonz/Tahoma2D. I’m curious to see what other software people use on Linux. Also, is there any work you are willing to share?
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Comment on Five years later, Deep Rock Galactic has gotten far by rejecting modernity in ~games
TumblingTurquoise Link ParentI fixed my VR motion sickness by playing only until I would start feeling sick, then immediately stopping. At first, I could only play for 1-2m at a time, but it slowly got better. After two...I fixed my VR motion sickness by playing only until I would start feeling sick, then immediately stopping. At first, I could only play for 1-2m at a time, but it slowly got better. After two weeks, I had no motion sickness whatsoever. I would also eat fresh ginger before playing, but I’m not sure how much that helped.
I think the trick is stopping as soon as you feel sick, and not letting your brain get used to VR being an unpleasant experience.
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Comment on HBO Max lives! Max to change its name back after two years. in ~tv
TumblingTurquoise LinkA dumb move in the first place, if I ever saw one. Gag… Instead of focusing on real innovation in the space somehow, or putting out good, fresh media; this is where the exec pay goes. In an ironic...A dumb move in the first place, if I ever saw one.
It is also a testament to WBD’s willingness to keep boldly iterating its strategy and approach
Gag… Instead of focusing on real innovation in the space somehow, or putting out good, fresh media; this is where the exec pay goes.
In an ironic way, giving up the three letters that were synonymous with quality, was a kind of bold move.
Anno 117: Pax Romana
I hesitated to buy this one, since it’s a Ubisoft title, and there’s some discussions online related to their usage of AI generated content. But there’s such a drought of good city builders, especially Roman themed ones, and Anno has always been a good series, so I had to bite. I’m playing it on the PS5.
I have been playing the campaign for 10 hours or so, and I am overall pleased. There are plenty of new additions, compared to 1800:
Diagonal placement of roads & buildings. I guess it’s pretty self explanatory, but it stands out as a series first. It helps make the game prettier, and the gameplay feel a tad more superficial, in the best of ways. More like a city painter, less like a spreadsheet.
Controller support. I’m not sure if this is new or not, since it’s the first Anno title I play on a console. But I have to say that they did a decent job. It took me an hour or so to get used to it, but now it feels intuitive & natural. There’s still some hiccups & bugs (it’s an Ubisoft game after all) but nothing game breaking.
Roman empire. No explanation required.
Branching population upgrades. I just ran into this during my last session, so I can’t say much about it. But it’s something new: in a different region, you can choose to romanise the Celts, or to keep their identity. Each branch temporarily locks out the other, and they each come with their own benefits & needs (a.k.a. Supply chains)
Some other notable features are: a research tree in the base game, a faith system, a return of the land combat, and a pretty deep naval system. I haven’t had the chance to dive into any of these systems, but at a first glance they seem deep & interesting.
The biggest minuses I can give are:
Poor performance on Linux. The main reason I’m playing it on the PS5. My PC’s hardware is definitely up to the task (that is, on Windows), but anything higher than Low/Medium on my 4K TV had an atrocious performance.
The campaign is cringe & act 3 was cut before release. I did not expect a period-accurate cinematic masterpiece, but the campaign is ahistorical & quite immature. And the entirety of act 3 was cut (according to some dataminers), probably to repackage & sell as DLC. So, it’s my understanding that at one point the game stops giving you quests & you’re left to play in what is essentially an endless mode. If I had to describe it in a word: amateurish.
Overall, it’s a relatively bug free game, looks beautiful, and has plenty of new & interesting additions. I can definitely recommend it to Anno fans, and also city builder nerds in general.